Improvement in poultry-coops



weee-wi @met @ffm WILLIAM J. SLOAN, OF SMITHS FERRY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 87,798, dated Ma/rch 16, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT .IN PO'ULTRY-COOPS.

To all whom/ fit may concern:

folded together and packed, for convenience of stor age or transportation.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts iu each.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a coop, cage, or box, for the transportation of poultry or fruit, or for other like purposes, with removable top and partitions, and with hinged sides, so that, when not in use, the partitions, if any, may be packed in the bottom of the box, the sides folded inward thereon,'and the top bolted thereto so as to take up the least possible space in transportation or storage, and be easily and convenientlyfolded and unfolded.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and manner of use. A

Fig. 1 shows my poultrycoop opened out, and fitted up for use.

a is the bottom, or floor, for the lower, story, or apartment.

b is a removable door, for the upper story, or apartment, and rests on ledges, c, attached to the s latted sides-of the coop.

Around the outer edge of the bottom floor, I attach a. frame, or casing, d d', e e', of different widths, on the different sides.

On one side, the frame d stands above the bottom oor a, by the thickness of the upper floor 11.

To this is hinged the Iside, f, of the coop, which, as also the other sides, f', g g', are made of slotted, or open frame-work, so that light and air may be freelyl admitted.

On the opposite side of the coop, the frame, or casing d', stands above the bottom oor a, by the thickness of the upper door b and the-side f. To this the frame-work f is hinged.

The casing'e is raised above the casing d', by the thickness of the side f', and, inlike manner, the casing e' stands above the casing e, by the thickness of the side g, hinged thereto.

To the casing e', the side g is hinged.

All the sides,when attached, are ofthe same ornearly the same height, and all are hinged, so as to fold only inward. 4,

Then, when unfolded, or open, as in fig.` 1, the top, or cover h, is placed in position, and secured by belts, or rods c', and nuts t', the bolts, or rods, passing, at the opposite corners, throughstrapsor strap-hinges, o, attached to the top, h. Y

The bolts, or rods, pass through thesides g g', and,

if found necessary, may pass through staples, ofv the ordinary construction, inserted inside the sides f f, in the line of the bolts, or rods.

While thus secured, none of the parts described can get out of place. They all brace and support each other, and give a strong and durable coop.

In order to adapt the coop for more convenient use, I bring one or more of the slats m min one of the sides g', so as to make doors into both theupper and lower apartments, forputting in and taking out the poultry; and to be enabled to feed them, as is necessary in transporting them to a distant market, I attach, tf one of thesides g, one or more feeding and wateringtroughs n.

After' the poultry have been removed from the coop, I fold it together, andpack it in small bulk, for corivenience of transportation in returning it, as shown in 1i r. 2.

The top, h, being removed, the upper door b is dropped down on to the lower door a. The side, f, folds down on to it, and, on top of this, the opposite side, f.

I next fold down the side, g, the supports c and troughs n being attached thereto at such point that they will come between the .slats of the side, f. On to this the side, g', is folded, the supports c passing between the slats of the side, g,` next below.

If found necessary, in folding and unfolding, the endslats of the sides f f may be notched, as at l, so thai they mayv readily pass the supports c c and troughs n, which are attached' to the inside of the sides g g.

The cover h .is then bolted on, as before, the bolts, o r rods fi, passing through holes, s, in the frame, or casing e e.

The coop then occupies but small space, is easily handled, and can be sent back cheaply, to be refilled and reused.

I claim its construction, not only for the purpose described, but also as a box for the transportation of delicate fruits, which are ge'nerally put up in small boxes, and for other like uses.

Additional floors, b, can be put in, leaving room enough between them to admit the boxes. The diii'erent apartments may be filled in with the boxes of fruit, the top bolted on, as described, and, after being emptied at market, the main box, with the fruit-boxes enclosed,

may be sent back, o r, without them, it may be folded together and returned.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A coop, cage, or box, with removable top, or cover,

`and one or more upper floors, b, and so made as to be packed in small compass, by placing the removable floors on the bottom ofthe coop, and folding the hinged sides successively thereon, and bolting the cover thereto, substantially as above set forth.

In testimony whereof, I, the said WILLIAM J. SLOAN,

have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM J. SLOAN. Witnesses:

ELL ToRRANoE, Gr.- H. CHRISTY, 

